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Historic Cars Claim Top Honours At 2024 Salon Privé Concours
Three iconic cars spanning nearly 110 years of automotive history have won major awards at this year's Salon Privé Concours, presented by Aviva Private Clients. The Duke of Marlborough Award went to a 1993 Lamborghini Diablo owned by Lars Nielsen. This UK-supplied car, finished in Diablo Rosso, had a single owner from 1994 to 2012 and has been restored to its original specifications.
This year’s Salon Privé Concours was the largest and most prestigious yet, featuring 72 cars across 14 classes. Entries ranged from pre-war categories to celebrations of Bugatti, Rolls-Royce, and Ferrari. Fan favourites included Legendary Liveries, showcasing iconic colour schemes like the Silk Cut Jaguar XJR 8/9 and the Alitalia Lancia Stratos HF. A new class for 2024 will honour the 60th anniversary of the Ferrari 275.
The event took place on the South Lawn at Blenheim Palace, with entries coming from as far as the USA, Thailand, and New Zealand. An unrivalled panel of international experts judged all entries, overseen by the International Chief Judge Advisory Group (ICJAG). Salon Privé is one of four ICJAG Plus-designated events globally and the only one in the UK.
The Chairman’s Award was given to a stunning 1923 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost built in Massachusetts. Initially delivered to Penn Motors in June 1924 with an enclosed Pickwick town-car body, it was sold to Robert M Stein of Baltimore in September 1926. Two years later, Stein returned it to Springfield for Pall Mall tourer coachwork. Restored by LaVine Restorations in 2022-23, it finished second in class at Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.
A 1965 Rolls-Royce Phantom V by Mulliner Park Ward once owned by John Lennon received the George Barry Gregory Trophy for Most Iconic award. Originally supplied to Patrick Barthropp in May 1965 and registered PPB1, it was sold to Lennon in 1967. Lennon had it resprayed white and fitted with a Webasto roof, Philips record player, an 8-track, a telephone, and a television.
Special Mentions
Lennon's Phantom V also featured white calico covers for its interior because he and Yoko Ono did not want animal hides. The car appeared in the Beatles film "Let It Be" and "Performance," starring Mick Jagger. In September 1969, Lennon sold it to Allen Klein of ABKCO Records; it has remained with his family since then.
Salon Privé Chairman Andrew Bagley remarked on this year’s winners: "The cars that have very deservedly won these three awards highlight the sheer variety of this year’s Concours entry," he said. "The standard was so high that it made choosing a winner in each category particularly difficult, but the Silver Ghost and Diablo are truly special cars – and you don’t get much more iconic than an ex-John Lennon Rolls-Royce."
Event Overview
Salon Privé is an annual UK event showcasing classic, luxury, and supercars against Blenheim Palace's backdrop. The concours competition judges cars on beauty, history, and condition. Supercar Saturday allows attendees to experience high-performance supercars firsthand.
The event supports NSPCC (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children), aiming to raise funds for vital services protecting children from abuse across the UK and Channel Islands.
The next Salon Privé Week will be held from August 27-31, 2024. Highlights include MotorAvia on August 27th and Concours Awards presented by Aviva Private Clients on August 29th.
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